Gauteng Launches Water Operations Centre to Stabilise Supply and Prevent ‘Day Zero’

The centre will serve as a single hub for system monitoring, joint decision-making, and verified public communication on the status of Gauteng’s water network.

The Gauteng Provincial Government has established a new Intergovernmental Relations (IGR) Water Operations Centre to strengthen coordination and accelerate interventions aimed at stabilising water supply across the province.

The Water IGR Operations Centre brings together key role players across all spheres of government, including national departments, Rand Water, metropolitan and local municipalities, and provincial entities. Its creation marks a significant step toward a unified, real-time response to water supply interruptions affecting residents and businesses.

The centre will serve as a single hub for system monitoring, joint decision-making, and verified public communication on the status of Gauteng’s water network.

A Coordinated Provincial Response

Gauteng MEC for Infrastructure Development and Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), Jacob Mamabolo, said the province is focusing on operational challenges rather than water availability.

“As a province, we believe that we can tackle the challenges facing our people through cooperation and collaboration, and not through finger pointing,” Mamabolo said.

“We have enough water to supply our residents; what we are focusing on now is addressing the challenges that cause interruptions to supply. It is therefore incorrect to suggest that there will be a day zero in Gauteng.”

Activated at the Provincial Disaster Management Centre

The Operations Centre was activated on Monday at the Provincial Disaster Management Centre in Midrand, following a high-level IGR meeting convened by Mamabolo.

Premier Panyaza Lesufi has tasked the MEC with ensuring the rapid resolution of current water supply challenges and prioritising the urgent restoration of services through the strengthened IGR platform.

System Recovery Underway, But Pressures Remain

The provincial government noted that early signs of recovery have already been observed in parts of the network, supported by interventions such as:

• Pressure management

• Reservoir throttling

• Strategic load-shifting

However, Gauteng continues to face structural pressures that threaten long-term stability.

“Storage levels remain under pressure, with high consumption, ageing infrastructure, non-revenue water and rapid population growth continuing to place strain on the system,” the government said.

Fast-Tracked Interventions to Restore Stability

Through the Water IGR Operations Centre, immediate stabilisation measures are being accelerated, including:

• Leak detection and repair programmes

• Reservoir refurbishment

• Operational support to municipalities

• Strengthening early-warning systems

• Improved communication with communities

In parallel, municipalities are being supported to develop credible funding proposals to unlock medium- and long-term investment in critical water infrastructure upgrades.

Commitment to Reliable and Sustainable Water Supply

The Gauteng Provincial Government reaffirmed its commitment to working across all three spheres of government, alongside the water sector and communities, to ensure secure, reliable and sustainable water provision.

The establishment of the Water IGR Operations Centre represents a proactive innovation in governance and crisis coordination, aimed at protecting Gauteng’s residents from supply disruptions while building resilience into the province’s water system.